... robins hoped over my foot, chirped, and looked up at me. Little white baby feathers stuck out from the side of its face and head. It looked like a bad ... or two later, Ginny and I watched as they carried worms to the newly hatched babies. Again, they took turns, sacrificing their own needs for the babies God blessed them ... followed their two coup-flying offspring around the yard. They no longer pushed worms between the baby's beaks. They put the worms beside them. The hungry young needed to learn how to ...

... guessed 'cause of my bump and all" Truth be told, I hadn't noticed a baby bump yet, but I was glad she shared the good news." Soon we'll be ... probably forgetting a few hundred crying jags and tantrums (some of them generated by the babies ), but I enjoyed pregnancy and the babyhood of my kids. It seems to me it ... the world. As the late writer and humorist Teresa Bloomingdale said," If your baby's beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule, burps on demand, ...

... Pampers to the Cross People fall into one of two categories. Some are baby people, some aren't. If you're not a baby person, you look at a new born and say," Call me when the baby starts to walk !" I'm from the ... me camp! My philosophy about babies is summed up with this statement:" A baby is a digestive apparatus with a loud noise at one end and no responsibility at the other !" Well, there's a parallel between babies and the Christian life. God's Word equates ...

... help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator. (We had no ... lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. ...

... told her, as he cinched up their belongings on the donkey." Joseph, can't we wait a few days? The baby could come any time" She didn't want to leave home. Not now." We've waited for the baby as long as we ... . He was careful to keep his lamp from igniting the old straw. He finally settled on an ancient stone manger for the baby's bed, cut from the wall of the limestone cave which housed the animals. He reached in to scoop the last gritty bits of ...

... 40 Things SkyWriting.Net editior: A must read for women that didn't get to have their own baby. Cory Hyde thought she would never receive a Mother's Day card. But she got herself a special job and now has some treasures she will keep for a lifetime ... answer I gave to my friend. Smiling, I explained that as long as I work in the nursery, I will have babies to rock and sing to. As long as I am a Head Start teacher, I will have first days of school. Working ...

... Jesus About a week before Christmas the family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus." Someone must have packed this wrong ," the mother said, counting out the figures." We have one Joseph, ... Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a Baby Jesus because we have 2"" You two run ...

... waiting game. As each month went by and our daughter's belly grew, so did our excitement. The fun of shopping for baby clothes and planning the shower took up some of the time. Then, when her due date came and went, I found myself ... , no worries or fears. What a blessing we can raise our own little ones and then, when they are grown with babies of their own, we have the opportunity to cherish those days as we experience them once again, this time in a grand way ...

... distance. Then the guide yelled again that two were coming close to the boat. There was my new found friend with her baby. It was unbelievable to see how she nudged her baby toward our boat. She was bringing her baby to meet me! Before ... populated areas for tourists. It was in late February which also happens to be when the grey whales swim down to have their babies. I decided that I may as well do something other than sit in the sun and feel sorry for myself so I booked a ...

... demanding to have the remote control for the television. He said she reminded him of a cave man, or perhaps a cave baby in this case, because of the way she was acting. She kept reaching and screaming for the remote. On a whim, ... Cave Babies My son told me how his daughter, little one-year-old, Tessa, was demanding to have the remote control for the television. He said she reminded him of a cave man, or perhaps a cave baby in this case, because of the way ...

... see what could be botherin ' you. You came through the war without a scratch, you got a beautiful wife and a baby on the way, you got a good job, what's the problem ?"" Jenny's mother is in bad shape ," said Luther. ... too dark to see. Sometimes Maggie came too, and the women sat in the house listening to the radio or talking about babies or Jenny's ailing mother, their sentences punctuated by the sound of the hammers outside. Over the next few weeks the new room took ...

... Georgia." I miss you, Mommy !"" I miss you too, Vanessa. I'll be home soon with a new baby brother or sister for you to play with" Vanessa and I spent and hour with Georgia and then headed home. I got Vanessa ... is going to need a crib to sleep in. I hope you don't mind, but I put your crib in the new baby's room"" Where will I sleep, Daddy ?"" Follow me" I led her down the hall to her room." ...

... idea that they could peep even before they hatch! The mother hen had sat on the nest for 21 days. Her first baby hatched and as soon as it was fluff dried, decided to jump down to see what all the clucking was about. Mama Hen ... little brown egg and felt the chick bumping around inside. She's 3 years old and everything is exciting for her, especially new babies! The thumping in that egg reminds me so much of the wonderful thumping going on while carrying Shayna 3 years ago! We put ...

... with the grand kids. I showed them Baby's First Christmas ornaments that had photos of their mommy and their aunt when they were babies. I tried to keep them all in the middle of the tree, next to the pictures of them in their Baby's First Christmas ... rhythm or reason. But we were accomplishing one thing-we were having a blast with the grand kids. I showed them Baby's First Christmas ornaments that had photos of their mommy and their aunt when they were babies. I tried to keep them all in the ...

... learned from one another and often offered help for whatever need that was mentioned.  Try using a little corn starch on that baby  s diaper rash , a young mother might learn from an older neighbor lady,  And next time you need to work out ... , the neighbor might say. Those were good times when porches were used for many things. Women did needle work or rocked babies, men whittled or fixed things, and children played  pretend . Sometimes the porch was used to just get off alone for ...

... us at the table. They'll mostly be napping while being passed from mommy to aunt to Grandpa Padilla (who never met a baby he couldn't rock to sleep) But they'll be there when we gather, and occasionally their cute little cries will remind us how thankful ... porch trying to smoke as unobtrusively as possible while Grandma Lujan bounces back and forth between fussing in the kitchen and cooing over fussy babies. They will all be there-whether or not we can see them. That's the way it is with family and tradition. ...

... I was again working at my computer and my hubby and I heard another sound. We heard little peeps and the sounds of baby birds! I was amazed to think that this decorative birdhouse was actually being used for that purpose. I tried to get a good ... was gone. Christ ascended into heaven and all who doubted-would believe. Just like the Mother bird who looks after her babies allowing them to be on their own, Mary had to allow Jesus to do what God ordained, letting Him go. We celebrate ...

... he couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy and happy smile," My wife just had a baby boy last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday." Well, congratulations !" said the minister, as he was handed ... garden shed keys." That's wonderful! What's the baby's name ?"" Carl ," he replied. [Author Unknown-from 'Mountian Wings ' (www.mountainwings.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...

... class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant." This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday. First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love ... the kid's doing this hysterical duck walk, holding her back and groaning." My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man"" They got my Mom to lie down in bed ...

... White Dove Mears Family Store What I Did For Love Fret -Less Rustling Raspberries One Mountain At A Time The Little Messenger -Unmarried Daughters Baby The Gift Number 111 Father's Day In Heaven A Special Child And The Tuck-stop Mole Hills Way More Than Just A Pretty Face Above The ... Together A Lesson From The Geese Shmily (Grandma And Grandpa's Game) Jacks ' Lily Lucky The Dog If Love Becoming Howard Cave Babies Are You Hiding From God Balance -Patience The Way You Are Road Leading To Home The Bird Cage Golden Crane In Your Eyes Little Piece ...

... I found out I was pregnant. I was SO happy. I made so many plans, saw my doctor, ate well and did everything I was supposed to do. But then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, I lost my baby. I was just 21 weeks pregnant when my little boy, Robert, was born way too soon for unknown reasons. He held on for 50 minutes and then died in my arms. It was the most devastating loss I'd ever been through. That was in ...

... was screaming," I can't believe you did this !" I was raised in a Christian family and had morals and values that despised the words spoken from my daughter's lips. She was 15 years old. How was she ever going to take care of a baby? What about school? Her whole future was headed downhill as far as I was concerned. Quickly my mind flooded with thoughts of ways to rid her and our family of the situation she brought upon us. A single mom of two daughters, I struggled for ...

... was the time for beautiful Christmas music on the streets, on radio, television, and every where. Christmas had always been a religious celebration and the church started preparing way back in November. We really felt that we were preparing for the birth of the baby Jesus. Christmas was the time when relatives and friends visited each other so there were always people traveling and visiting with great joy from all the different tribes. I always thought that was all Christmas was. Oh, how I wished I had some of the traditional ...

... were sleeping in every available space, their cloaks pulled up over their chins to ward off the biting air. The shepherds had to walk carefully lest they accidentally step on someone. They asked a few people if they knew of a woman who had a new baby that night. Aram had been to Bethlehem once or twice in the past year. He knew that shepherds were held in low regard by the people. Shepherds were nomadic and had no roots. Furthermore, most of them were as dirty as their sheep. So ...

... after all. I was grateful. However, I was not in a very festive mood so we didn't take part in the usual Advent preparations that my children were used to that year. On Christmas morning my little boy asked me what I was giving the Baby Jesus for His birthday and I was crushed because I had nothing. I hadn't even baked the birthday cake for baby Jesus and we hadn't saved any good deeds to fill the manger with straw, like in other years. Yes, I was crushed but the look ...

... Keep Singing Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy. The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every ...

... piece we would receive. Each was exquisitely beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch the givers as we slowly built the scene at the manger and began to focus on Christ's birth. On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, all but the Baby Jesus. My 12-year-old son really wanted to catch our benefactors and began to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate dinner in the minivan, watching and waiting, but no one came. Finally, we called him in to go through our family's ...

... sound of birdsong that I've become accustomed to as I walk up the sidewalk each morning. Instead, this was a call of distress and it didn't take long for me to discover what all the excitement was about. As I glanced around, I noticed a baby bird sitting statue-still on the ground beneath the grand old oak that graces the grounds here at the church. Apparently, this baby was out on its first solo flight and had run into some difficulty. (Sorry, my imagination sometimes tends to run away with me ...

... and smiled. Ten days before the expected date, the sign in the window read," 10 DAYS UNTIL BA-DAY" Still the people wondered. The next day it read," 9 DAYS UNTIL BAB-DAY ," then" 8 DAYS UNTIL BABY DAY". My fans finally knew what was happening. By then, my following had grown to include twenty or thirty different busses and cars. Every night they watched to see if my wife had given birth. The number decreased-excitement grew. My fans ...

... Boomlettes and Barbie Boots Baby boomers can be strange creatures  especially as parents. We spend all of our time trying to make life easier and more comfortable for our baby Boomlettes, and then we moan and complain when they don't seem to appreciate how easy and comfortable their lives are. I know I'm guilty of it. I remember lecturing my then-soon-to-be-married daughter about the virtues of newlyweds starting their lives together living on a shoestring, and how her mom and I furnished our first little apartment with refinished furniture and cast-off dinnerware from ...

... out our youngest daughter, Katie, was expecting. Needless to say the pregnancy seemed to drag on forever. Now, looking back, we can't believe how fast the time has flown since her birth. Our bouncing bundle of joy has blossomed into a beautiful baby girl. Just the sight of her causes old gramps and me to giggle with glee. It's also the reason that this summer season found us on the hunt for a baby carrier for the back of my bike. I discovered, in my quest for the best ...

... , I brought this to you ," he said nervously. The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying," We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our ...

... she would not be going with us, but would be moving out on her own with a friend. It was hard enough when my two sons ventured out into the world, but it was devastating for me to think about our little girl, our baby, doing the same. I wasn't ready for her to go; I wasn't ready for the  empty nest ; There was so much more to teach her, to give her, to prepare her, I thought. I cried to her father,  Why ...

... The Autograph It was June of 1968, and I was fleeing for my life, carrying my two-month-old, baby daughter. My brother had managed to scrape together enough money for a first class ticket on an airplane traveling from Atlanta to Detroit. My first marriage had become too dangerous, and as I flew home to be with my family, I felt very agitated. Anything, God, I silently prayed. Anything to break the monotony of my own tortured thoughts. At that moment, my baby bobbed over toward a ...

... But Sherry knew how he felt. And when she consulted her physician, he believed that there was a chance Sherry could become pregnant again." We began an agonizing journey ," Sherry says." And finally things worked !" The couple was overjoyed. This baby would have all the love it needed, Sherry knew. One day in May 1998, Sherry came home from work unusually exhausted. She was midway through her pregnancy and had been feeling well. But now she went to bed, and fell into a deep sleep ...

... healed her. In order to share my story, I have to share a little bit of hers as well. My mom left home at 16 years old, pregnant and newly married to a boy who thought he was a man. She lost her first baby to cystic fibrosis when the toddler was less than two years old. She had her second child at 18 and left her husband at the age of 21. He came to visit her one night and forced her to have sex. She discovered two weeks later she ...

... . The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it ...

... right picture." Thank you for helping me. She loves puppies. By the way. What card did you pick out for your Granny ?" I asked. She handed me the card she had chosen. On the front was a picture of a beautiful baby all wrapped up in blankets. Inside it said," Congratulations! We celebrate the birth of your child and all the joy that will fill your life" I looked at her mother, she shrugged her shoulders and said," Granny will be surprised"" ...

... little fellow must have fallen out and hurt itself. It was also very, very young, and obviously far from ready to leave the safety of the nest. I ran to the shed and found a box. Having read somewhere that one shouldn't touch a baby bird with one's hands (because by doing so one could cause the parents to reject it ), I picked the chick up with a hand towel and put it in the box. I placed the box outside the front door in the hope that the parents would try ...

... up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing. One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene ...

... words written so long ago. It was much like taking a trip through time and visiting someone from the past. A lot of the letters just carried information about daily activities, recent visitors, weather information, and who had gotten married or had a new baby. It is interesting to read them and see what took place in the days that were before my time. As I read them, I could visualize the activities and the people mentioned. I could sometimes follow months of letters written back and forth between people, ...

... "" But ?" I stammered." This calls for a toast. I'll get that bottle of champagne" I rushed from the table." Michael !" She reached for my hand and rested her other hand on her stomach." I can't. The baby! Remember ?" I stared at her and frowned." Why" I paused." Oh right! The baby! I forgot. No drinking"" Relax. I'm OK. Sit and finish your dinner" We sat and ate. Afterward, I reached ...

... Batting My Eyelashes A baby camel asked his mother," Why do we have such large hoofs on our feet ?" She turned to him." God made us that way for a very special reason ," and she began her explanation." The big hoofs are to keep us from sinking into the sand"" Oh! So why do we have long eyelashes ?"" It's to protect our eyes from the sand"" Why the big humps ?"" That is to store fat and have enough energy to go long ...

... gone three whole months. After she got back, people started wondering out loud if she were pregnant. It was cloudy the day when I finally confronted her with the gossip." Mary ," I asked at last," are you going to have a baby ?" Her clear brown eyes met mine. She nodded. I didn't know what to say." Who ?" I finally stammered. Mom, Mary and I had never acted improperly-even after we were betrothed. Mary looked down." Joseph ," she said ...

... they walked this beach hand in hand as lovers. Now, as a new family, those precious moments have given way to reality. They have responsibilities for each other and for their child. He walks along looking lonely and lost. She lays nearby the baby torn between what once was and what is now. They take turns as she now heads down to the waters edge alone and longing for what was and what is. Having been there myself, my mind fast forwards seeing them both in future times. The scene ...

... A Sister Will Do I was only 5 years old when I became an uncle. I had been pleading with Mom to give me a little brother. Mom said no, which I  m sure is the reason my eldest sister Jean decided to have a baby boy. I could always count on her to come through for me when Mom wouldn  t. Jean loved to get Mom  s goat by spoiling me. And I didn  t really care whose goat was got as long as I was getting what I ...

... Eagle Story-Freedom and Jeff Freedom and I have been together 10 years this summer. She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken wings. Her left wing doesn't open all the way even after surgery, it was broken in 4 places. She's my baby. When Freedom came in she could not stand. Both wings were broken, her left wing in 4 places. She was emaciated and covered in lice. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I took her to ...

... we were in the depression and nobody had money to pay anyone so jobs were hard to find. My brother, Carl, decided to go look for work with me. Carl  s wife had died with pneumonia fever not long before and he had a baby to care for and like the rest of us, he had no money either. As much as he hated to, he left his little two-year-old, Betty Jean, with our Mom so we could go look for work. We thought we could go out west ...

... is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. My little girl was born around Christmas, and from the time she was a baby, she seemed to embody the season  full of good cheer and glad tidings all year long. By the time she was a preschooler and could see the signs of the season start popping up by mid-November in streets, stores and, of course, commercials, ...

... sign on the dotted line. Then... You may have been worth something to your employer, but then in this day of cutbacks and downsizing:" I'm sorry, I'm afraid your position has been deemed obsolete. In this crazy world that values baby seals more than human lives, there's nothing that can guarantee our desirability or worth. But in God's Kingdom, things are different. 1 Corinthians 6: 20 says," you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" We were bought ...

... a second child in my family of two. I wasn't expected. When it came to light that my mom was pregnant, they wanted a girl. So, by those standards I was a mistake. I was what they called back then a" Blue Baby" That meant I needed a complete blood transfusion. I could have died. So, I guess I was trouble from the start. But I was meant to be. Just like you. Just like everyone else. In my lifetime I have come in touch ...

... on the mail box and several signs boosted  Sale Today  Yes, I love those signs and they always speak to me! I went into the garage and greeted the young mothers sitting together; I knew that I wasn't going to want anything among the baby items; but I did check out the little area of  I'm sick of this, but who knows what it might be worth  table. Everyone seemed to be collecting some little animals that came in boxes of Red Rose tea bags. I scanned the place ...

... Surrender my life to God. I sat in a crumpled heap on the floor and felt the loving arms of the Father surrounding me. I felt the loving hands of Christ soothing away my hurts, pains, guilt and battle wounds. I cried like a baby in the arms of God, and He never turned away, never let go, never stopped loving me. It was then I knew what God wanted from me-because I'd just done it.-Ellen M. DuBois-[ by Ellen M. DuBois ...

... us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others" Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her." I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God" Just then someone else walked in the shop." Hey, Phil !" shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man." My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving Special .12 thorny, long-stemmed stems !" laughed Phil ...

... was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer." That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests ?" And God smiled and said," They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Banbury Cross or scare off mice at ...

... and asked," Wanna talk about what's bothering you now ?" Frankie shrugged, but seconds later a question bubbled up. It was one of THE questions parents face. In the category of questions like," Why do people die ?" and" Where do babies come from ?"" Mommy, do you believe in Santa Claus ?" I silently prayed for the right words. Seconds later I saw the Lady's brilliant smile and felt her kindness wash over me. An idea came." What do you think ?" Frankie shrugged. ...

... was introduced on September 19, 1952 into my favorite cartoon series, Peanuts, I have loved Linus. He has the quiet philosophical wisdom of a grownup while tenaciously holding onto a beloved remnant of his childhood. Entire college courses have been fashioned around that now-famous baby blanket. If the blanket had been real and not a figment of writer Charles Schultz's vivid imagination, millions of Peanuts fans would have bid exorbitant prices at auction for just one square inch of it. It's that symbolic and valuable in the eyes of the world. ...

... . The glow of the barn is only yards ahead. The glow and excitement in my heart nearly lights our path. The Christmas song still plays in my head. The drums beat in time with our brisk pace, as we approach the stable. Little baby, pa-rum-pa-pa-pum I am a poor boy too, pa-rum-pa-pa-pum Nearly half a dozen pony whinnies greet us when we enter the barn. A timid barn cat scurries up the ladder to the manger, and peers down at us in curiosity.  Are they goanna talk ...

... the medical challenges. For Annie the desire to become a mother never faded though it seemed unlikely. Medications and cancer treatments would prevent her from becoming pregnant. And then, the" Powers of love" shone brightly on a promising situation. Annie wanted a baby of her own but wouldn't be able to carry one. But, her sister Mary could. So Mary became a surrogate mother for Annie-an unselfish act of love that not many women would be able to commit to. Little Mary Elise was born July 2 ...

... , Shadow trotted off in the direction of the distressed chick. Picking him up in her mouth, as gently as she would have, had he been her kitten, she carried him back to the house, depositing him in the box beside her own sightless baby, then nestled in beside them. For two days, until it died, she showered on that chick all the love and devotion she had reserved for her own dead offspring. Every time she tried to wash him, he wobbled and tumbled over onto his back ...

... to move forward when facing adversity. He set an example proving that humility is crucial to success. He demonstrated the commitment to family and the importance of setting priorities. His journey taught me valuable lessons for my own path in the darkness. Much like a baby takes its first steps holding tight to his father's hand, my dad held onto God as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land. I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. ...

... A Dog In The Road I remember when I first graduated college. I was already married with a baby son. I had an education degree but full time teaching jobs where I lived were scarce. For a few years then I did my best to make ends meet by substituting as much as possible. I would get up early each morning and hope for the phone to ring. A call meant work and every penny counted. On one particularly cold morning I got a call to work at a grade school 15 miles ...

... to meet in Colorado for Christmas. One family has an air mattress and sleeping bags in the basement. A hide-a-bed couch serves to accommodate another family; spare bedrooms are filled to capacity. One sister, in full joy, proclaims that she has the cutest baby on planet earth, while another exacts a proclamation of equal conviction with general disagreement on all sides while I quietly gaze at my own daughter, who is without question the cutest child by far. I turn and look near the fireplace, the rest of the guys ...

... While I struggled with the nuances of fatherhood right from the start, Anita seemed to instinctively know what she was doing and how to care for our child.  I know you guys are just having fun and I appreciate that you are trying to entertain the baby, but I don  t think playing catch with her in the living room is a good idea , Anita said, stepping in between me and her younger brother, Brent, as we tossed six-month-old AmyJo back and forth while standing about six feet apart.  ...

... . I wasn't there for the fish. It was time alone in the outdoors I craved. Every so often, I rose, checked my bait and cast it back into the lake. In the beaver hut at my side, I heard the squeaking of baby beavers. A few minutes later, one of the adult beavers swam around the point, saw me and disappeared in a splash of water, as it slapped its tail. A moment later, the squeaking in the hut grew louder as mom or dad arrived. ...

... hear me as the window would not roll down. The man said" My Lord Lady do you have children in there with you ?" I answered" Yes! I have two boys-three and four years old and a year old little girl and my baby who is only six weeks old" He began throwing his Christmas gifts and groceries in the back of the old pickup and helped me carry the children to put in the cab. He scooped and scooped again. We met my husband walking toward us about a mile ...

... songs of the season when they keep you in a perpetual spirit of wonder and glee? We've been listening to the same songs for decades and the feelings they bring never lose their emotion, in fact those old songs multiply their meaning as life goes on. Babies first Christmas was made oh so special the year my nephew Ryan was born. Being the first grandchild in the family we fawned over the tiniest new addition. That year the song I loved the most was Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. I didn't know all the stanzas ...

... The Story of Soul There once was a man named Soul who was walking in a garden. He was whistling a real sweet tune for he was saved and had the joy of the Lord, but he was a baby Christian. As Soul was walking, a beautiful and seductive woman came out from behind a tree. Soul was very startled. He said," Hello, I'm Soul, what is your name ?" She replied," I am Temptation, I have what you want"" What do I want ...

... was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer." That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests ?" And God smiled and said," They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Banbury Cross or scare off mice at ...

... a white wedding veil with tiny sparkles of crystal and bugle beads trimming the edges that softly caressed her shoulders. The sight brought tears to my eyes. The message hit home as I watched her gracefully step in front of the long triple wide mirrors. My baby girl is getting married! There is no turning back only going forward, toward a new life with the man she loves. Time is flying by so fast! We've reserved the church, we have the reception hall, the DJ has been booked and the photographer ...

... line when my phone rang. It was Keith. His voice still reflecting the pain of the news the day before, he said," It's official. We just got back from the doctor's office and the test confirmed that we will not be having a baby" Although the news already took its toll on me, hearing it again, hearing him again, made it fresh and cutting." Okay, buddy. We'll see you later ," I said." I love you !" Now, try and convince me that ...

... That's not just it, that's everything" she said." What have you found so far ?" I asked. He stretched out his hand and in it were two things. A small frame made out of Popsicle sticks and what appeared to be one knitted baby bootie. Not a pair." We still need one more thing ," he said." Got it !" we heard off in the distance." What did you find ?" he shouted across the store. She walked slowly toward us holding something in the air ...

... , albeit shabby doll to a little girl she doesn't know with the hope that it will bring this child as much pleasure as it brought her. I, who had wanted to teach, had been taught. The boys had watched, open-mouthed, as their baby sister placed her favorite doll in the box. Without a word, Brad rose and went to his room. He came back carrying one of his favorite action figures. He hesitated briefly, clutching the toy, then looked over at Meghan and placed it in the ...

... I turned back to the house. There was Mom calling my name," Macy! Macy !"" Out here ," I said. She ran out to me, and together we went around to the front, where we found Daddy with Kent, the baby, and my three-year-old sister, Amy." You're safe, Macy ," he said, sighing with relief. Daddy told me that he had tried to get to me, but couldn't cross the flames. He had not guided me down the hall. He had ...

... Father's Day Rookie Technically, Adam is a father this Father's Day. I know-he hasn't changed a single diaper, or taken a turn staying up late with a fussy baby. He hasn't rocked his son to sleep, or bounced him on his knee, or tucked him sweetly in his cradle. And there isn't one spit up stain on any of his jackets or collars. But he's still a father this Father's Day. Technically. Adam's first child won't actually be born until September. Thanks to the wonders of ...

... . I laughed when they told Grandma they decorated all by themselves. Near the bottom of the box, I found a brass plaque. It's a special memory. It has my son's name and birth date. Justin was supposed to be a New Year's Eve baby, but he decided not to miss Christmas. Justin was three weeks old, when we took him to the Christmas Eve service at our church. That night, our minister explained to us the real meaning of Christmas. As she spoke, she wandered down the ...

... ll find on this earth. In North Carolina, even the insects seem friendly, at least until they bite you. I had the privilege of going on vacation with my friend Kathy and her family. Kathy and I have been pals since our children were babies. In modern parlance, we are BFFs (best friends forever, for those of you who still speak actual English). When we get together, Kathy and I  being BFFs who know pretty much everything there is to know about each other  can dispense ...

... Your goal. Your gift. Your gift to yourself.~Mary Wollney~Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved Mary is a speaker and the author of two weekly columns. She is known as  The Letter Lady  for her innovative program that helps both busy baby boomers and their aging parents. This unique program addresses a seldom-discussed ailment affecting millions of senior citizens: loneliness. As a Stay-at-Home Granddaughter, Mary was able to discover some of the unspoken needs of seniors. Her program helps them stay connected in a familiar and non-intrusive ...

... less sensitive is to become more sensitive. If only for a moment, to take a look at where we are in comparison to some other real life issues plaguing us in our own backyard. My child is driving me to madness, as another small premature baby clings to life and the family pleads with the Lord for healing and understanding. We just don't have the money to eat out, as another deserted orphan cries in the night, not knowing a parent or the time of arrival for the next meal. I can't ...

... half off the nest, lay a dead hen. All excited, the boys came running to me, asking if they could bring the eggs in and try to incubate them. They were both in the fifth grade at school, and had learned about how baby chickies were hatched -not born, like kittens. James, a few months older than Don, explained that he was sure that the mother hen had just died, because she was still warm. I went with them to where the eggs were, examining them. ...

... mobile creches in 1969. Now, 40 years down the line, Tara Mobile Creches has taken roots in many cities across India. In Pune, it has 15 centres and caters to the needs of 1, 300 children. It was the sight of a baby lying unattended at a construction site in the hot sun that galvanised Mahadevan into starting a creche for them. Today, for any big construction project that comes up, Tara Mobile Creches (TMC) comes in as the care provider. The builders arrange for a place ...

... the" thumbs up" to the crowd, no matter how hard he tried. Meanwhile, back home in a small town near Houston, Kevin's mother was watching the game in a sport's bar. Very few things in life are worse than watching your" baby" on television not being able to move. His fiancee was also near Houston washing her car. Soon she would find out the horrible news. Soon, everyone would find out the horrible news as the doctor reported in a TV news broadcast that Kevin was in ...

... Hank, The Rescue Pup At nine weeks of age, Hank was already a pup waiting to be rescued. His was not a case of neglect, but a set of convoluted circumstances that had befallen a tiny, baby boy. Like all puppies, he was precious and it was love at first sight for me and my husband. Nevertheless, we had no idea what a remarkable role he would play in our lives. Shiloh, our older Schnauzer, all but danced on her hind paws when that little, snow-white ...

... mother and her three children were in a panic several rows ahead of us. There had been a mistake in their boarding passes, the whole family had been split up. The passengers in her row also refused to move elsewhere. The mother could hold her baby, but her 6-year-old son and his older brother had been scattered around the plane. She was very concerned about the younger boy sitting with strangers. She was in tears, yet nobody offered to help her. Suddenly the Scout leader stood up and said," ...

... so much. I thought she was so beautiful and so kind and I think she really loved me too. When I had a loose tooth, I wouldn  t let anyone but Ellen Ruth pull it for me. She pulled quite a few of my baby teeth. She tied a string around the tooth and tied the other end to the door knob, making a game of it and then slammed the door. Out came my tooth and then she fixed some warm salt water for me to rinse my mouth. I ...

... walls were more eloquent. Then there's the alteration in appearance. While I'm desperately trying to avoid bags and sags, this long-haired Neanderthal living in my house embraces them as fashion. Wearing gravity-defying pants slung low across his scrawny backside, he looks just like a baby with an overly full diaper. When I helpfully pointed this out, I got another overwrought electronic missive that ended with the text message equivalent of a scream. This modern means of communication does keep the house quiet. Adolescent males seem to lose all capacity for living ...

... our nostrils with the smells of anticipation. They are filling us with yearnings for tempting treats to tease our palates with every taste. Another mile, another miracle. A cow and her calf, a ewe and her lamb and a mare with her colt. Babies struggling to stand on new wobbly legs, stretching up to nurse. Some are older and stronger so they play chasing butterflies and each other through fields filled with daises, buttercups and buzzing bees. Over a hill there is surprising, eye-catching splendor of an orchard. ...

... while living in a cramped apartment. To top it off, Anita was just days away from delivering our third child, and she was miserable (we men will never fully appreciate the physiological transformation that turns the light, happy" Honey, we're having a baby !" to the deep, throaty" Get this thing out of me !"). I was looking forward to Thanksgiving as a day off from work and a day to spend some time with my family. But I'll be honest-mostly, I was looking forward to ...

... the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others" Sandra gasped." A friend read that passage to me and I was furious! I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God" She started to ask Jenny to" go on" when the door's bell diverted their attention." Hey, Phil !" shouted Jenny as a balding, rotund man entered the shop. She softly touched Sandra's arm and moved to welcome ...

... . I took his hand with both of mine and shook wholeheartedly," You've got a deal !" Bob groaned. Jim looked at me." Want 'em mounted ?"" Mounted ?"" Yes, ma'am. We'll mount them on the rims and put those babies right on your truck for you"" Wow !"" Is that extra ?" Bob said." Only fifty dollars" I said," You don't have to put them on. Could you just wrap them up? We'll have them to go" By the ...

... me. I could clearly see it in her eyes. You know that sparkle, the smile that lit her face each and every time she looked at him. Any man might acknowledge such feelings in spoken word woven through" lovey dovey" dialog like" Baby ," or" my love" He was different. He glowed unashamedly at the very thought of her. His face, resplendent with love, the highest of all emotions, was accented by a slightly crooked smile adding to his" I'm one lucky guy" demeanor ...

... Mom, He called me an idiot again ! It  s really not so difficult to figure out this mysterious change. It began when Jeremy married his college sweetheart, Katie, and then a couple of years later I watched as my son carried his new baby girl, Tessa, out of the delivery room When Tessa came into the world, at that moment everything changed. It is beautiful to behold the transformation in another person, especially our own children. As Jeremy  s mother, it was a little like a ...

... should never let our guard down. Our eyes connected. I smiled. They went on about their business. I wanted nothing more than to watch them safely from a distance. They were young and fussing over a set of new born. We haven't had babies in our lives for many years so all of this brought back memories. Their kids were hungry and I guess I must have finally given them both a sense that I meant no harm. One parent left for a moment, perhaps to get something for the kids ...

... in the Paris games. In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris to the United States, only slow ocean going ships. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife's side when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain with his family? Bill's wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the Olympics was the culmination of a life long dream. But Bill felt conflicted and, after much soul ...

... . But this morning was different; it was Christmas. We dashed off to the small living room where we had left our old pair of shoes the night before. No Christmas tree, no decorations or frills in our home. But, following tradition, Baby Jesus promised to leave one present atop the shoes. Some years, we  d find nothing but new underwear, other years we  d find new socks. The gift itself wasn  t our focus, but the fact the one, solitary item was brand ...

... : her teenage daughter. Then there's Jake, my nephew, who is on vehicle retrieval duty as part of his military assignment in Afghanistan while back home his young wife, Liz, tries to figure out how to be both mom and dad to their two-month-old baby. Jake's Facebook status yesterday was simple and full of yearning:" I miss my family !" But I have never heard him say a begrudging word about fulfilling his military commitment. He has a job to do, and he's doing it. And so is Liz ...

... our then three-year-old granddaughter, Bailey, who loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire play, not just watching, but involved as if she were a player. She watches as Joseph and Mary travel to the Inn and is thrilled when she sees the baby Jesus in His mother's arms. When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was ecstatic. As he neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down, screaming, ...

... Daddy Hands I awoke in the night to find my husband, Marty, gently rocking our baby son, Noah. I stood for a moment in the doorway, watching this amazing man with whom I was so blessed to share my life, lovingly stroke Noah's fat pink cheeks in an effort to comfort him. I felt in my heart that something was seriously wrong with Noah. This was one of several nights Noah had been up, burning with a high fever. Tears filled my eyes as I watched my beautiful husband ...